As president and CEO of Brooklyn Public Library, Linda E. Johnson leads one of the nation’s most historic and most innovative library systems. As President she oversees the operations, finances and programs of the 60 branch system serving Brooklyn’s more than 2.5 million residents. Under Linda’s leadership, the Library’s presence and impact in the community have expanded beyond the confines of its branches. BPL now hosts collections at nearly 200 off-site locations and provides services in 552 outreach sites, including schools, homeless shelters, senior centers and correctional facilities. The Library’s Outreach Services Department, founded in 2013, has developed new and nationally recognized resources for immigrants, seniors, veterans, the incarcerated, the homebound and other vulnerable or marginalized patrons. In 2016, Brooklyn Public Library was awarded the nation’s highest honor for libraries, the Institute for Museum and Library Services’ National Medal, in recognition of its extraordinary community outreach. Prior to being named president and CEO of BPL in August 2011, Linda served as president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, CEO of the Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation and president of JCI Data, a privately held information services and database management provider. She sits on the executive committees of Hamilton College, Sing for Hope and the Curtis Institute of Music and is an advisory director on the board of the Metropolitan Opera.
